


Peggy and Steve's Most Excellent Domestic Misadventures

by dorrinverrakai1



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-10 04:34:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10429185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorrinverrakai1/pseuds/dorrinverrakai1
Summary: As the title says random domestic steggy misadventures! LOLOLOL





	1. A Christmas Coda

**Author's Note:**

  * For [indiefic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiefic/gifts).
  * Inspired by [An Ordinary Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7028539) by [indiefic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiefic/pseuds/indiefic). 



> These domestic adventures are set in an au of an au. The amazing and wonderful Indiefic inspired me with her Steggy family in her story An Ordinary Life. These little drabbles spawn from some of the many conversations we've had about Indie's story and Steggy in general.

Peggy checks the roast in the slow cooker one last time, popping the lid and giving the vegetables a poke or two. Everything seems to be in order. The vegetables are soft and the meat is tender but not rare. Honestly though, Steve and his boys would most probably eat the meat raw if she put it on their plate. The oven timer buzzes as expected. The rolls are done just right.

 

"Mommy! Mommy! Where's Daddy? Where's John?" pipes Michael as he pulls on her leg.

 

"Still at the store, darling. Why don't you check the window and see if they're here? They should be back any moment." Four plates are set out, Peggy doling generous portions to each one. Only one roll to begin with. They mustn't skip their vegetables though that generally isn't a problem. An extra serving of meat is portioned for Steve with extra gravy. He'll be in the Christmas sweets again this evening at least he should get proper nutrition beforehand.

 

Michael scurries to the front room and presses his small face to the cold window. He glances side to side, nose smearing on the glass. He peers again to the left. "Mommy! Mommy! They're here!" yells Michael at full volume. He runs to the door pulling it wide open and bounding outside.

 

Peggy turns setting each plate at the appropriate spot on their small table. She double checks Michael's booster seat is secure then sets down four cups. The last of the milk goes into the boys and Steve's glasses. A small bit of wine makes it's way into Peggy's own cup, a gift from Steve's coworkers at the Christmas party.

 

Peggy sets out the utensils and napkins but still no family has appeared at the table. The door is left hanging wide open and the draft is biting. Peggy pulls her sweater more tightly to her body. What is taking Steve and the boys so long to bring in the groceries? Of course Michael ran outside with no jacket, even her boys get cold eventually. Peggy is cold constantly.

 

Peggy makes her way to the door to see what the hold up is. She sees Steve and the boys crowded around a large cardboard box. Michael and John's high pitched voices are nonsensical but Peggy feels a shiver down her spine, not of cold but dread.

 

"Mommy! Come look!" John yells immediately when he catches sight of his mother in the door.

 

"Peg come see what we found!" Steve calls smiling as he lifts a small pathetic but wriggling black thing out of the box and into her view. It wriggles and wriggles turning it's head from side to side licking at hands or any body part that comes near.

 

"Mommy! Look it's Spot!" Michael yells excitedly while he roughly attempts to pet the creature.

 

Peggy approaches the box cautiously peering at the small dog in Steve's hands. Yes. A dog. A mut. A puppy. A skinny one at that. All black with a brown muzzle and paws.

 

"Mommy! It's Spot!" yells Michael.

 

"Yeah, Mikey, it looks just like Spot!" John yells over top of him.

 

Peggy looks up into Steve's guileless, happy blue eyes. "Is the pound closed Steven?"

 

"Awe, Peg!" Steve sighs as he places the pup gently back into the box. "It's two days after Christmas! We'll take him by the pound tomorrow when I get home from work. He's freezing. We should bring him inside."

 

Steve lifts the box and balances it with one arm while reaching into the back of the truck and grasping the groceries with the other. "Ok boys open the door so we can bring the puppy in!"

 

John and Michael race to be the first to the door. John being older and taller reaches the nob first swinging the door wide open once more.

 

Peggy peers into the back of the truck and grabs out the last two bags bringing them in. She sets her bags on the counter next to those Steve brought in beginning to put the items away. 4 cartons of eggs, 2 apple juices, applesauce all go in the fridge. Two loaves of bread go on top next to the art supplies. A liter of coke into the fridge...and an empty package of skittles go into the trash. Those last items were definitely not on the list. "Steve where's the milk? I said get two gallons?"

 

Steve looks up from where he and the boys are petting the puppy which is now sitting on John's lap licking small hands and faces. "Sorry Peg, I'll go back out for milk after supper. We better get some dog food as well don't you think?"

 

"You're thinking correctly. The roast isn't for dogs. Dinner's ready now. Put the puppy in the box and wash up." Peggy herds her boys to the sink. John drags a chair over and he and Michael stand on it to reach the water. After overseeing hand washing and drying, Peggy straps Michael into his booster and washes her own hands.

 

Steve finishes fiddling with the puppy and joins them. 

 

"Hands, Steven."

 

"Oh right, sorry Peg."

 

Dinner is full of distractions but eventually everyone gets their fill. Peggy herds the boys into the bath while Steve quickly runs out for dog food. Teeth are brushed and hair is combed and pajamas donned before Steve returns.

 

Peggy gets two small bowls down and fills one with water and the other with Puppy chow. She sets the bowls in the box. The puppy beelines for the water practically standing in the dish, lapping noisily. Peggy can't resist stroking his black fur once. Then twice. The puppy's tail wags happily and he catches Peggy's hand with several very wet puppy kisses.

 

"Mommy, can the puppy sleep with me tonight?" John asks excitedly.

 

"Absolutely not! Dogs are dirty. He's never even had a bath. Let the puppy eat his dinner." Peggy exclaims rubbing her hands on her legs leaving a few streaks of what's hopefully more water than puppy slobber on her pants. She wraps her sweater more firmly around herself once more.

 

"Daddy." Michael comes in dragging a very large and worn picture book with him. "Daddy read. Read Spot."

 

"Ok pal. Bring the book over here so we can read next to the puppy." Steve settles next to the puppy's box. The box is on one side, John snuggles close on the other, while Michael settles happily on Steve's lap.

 

Peggy retreats to the kitchen and quickly rounds up the dinner plates, washing and drying them. She sets the crockpot dish to soak. It can wait for morning. She glances frequently into the living room at her family gathered together reading a story. Next to that thing. That dog.

 

The story is over soon enough and the boys plead one last time "Daddy can the puppy sleep with us?"

 

"Uhhh.." Steve glances at Peggy shaking her head. "Mom said no guys."

 

"Awe no fair." Two little boys pout to their bedroom and get tucked in. One kiss each from each parent.

 

Steve goes to take a shower while Peggy checks on the puppy. It hasn't eaten. Peggy frowns. The puppy gazes up at her mournfully. Is that a wet spot in the cardboard? Peggy lays down newspaper all around the box then in the bottom. Castigating herself for not thinking of this earlier. She grabs an old ratty undershirt of Steve's and makes a bed on the opposite side of the box from the bowls for the small thin pitiful looking mutt who still hasn't eaten a morsel. Concerned Peggy goes back to the kitchen and puts a small bit of gravy and warm water in the food dish softening it for small puppy jaws. One. No two pats. And Peggy is off to get ready for bed herself.

 

Later that night Peggy awakens hearing small yips and yowls from the living room. She rolls over grumpily and shakes Steve's shoulder. "Steve! Wake up!"

 

"Yeah Peg, I'll do it tomorrow." Steve rolls over facing away from Peggy.

 

"Steve!" She shakes his shoulder more firmly. "Wake up!"

 

He snores. The yips and yowls increase in volume as the puppy senses that humans are awake. Or at least mostly awake.

 

"Steve!" Peggy shoves hard at his shoulder and Steve flops out of bed crashing to the floor taking all the covers with him. Peggy reaches over and jerks the covers back up. It's quite cold no matter what the thermostat says. It's winter.

 

"Peg!? What?!!?" Steve exclaims completely confused.

 

"Your dog is barking Steven. Take care of it!"

 

"Maybe it should sleep in here Peg? it's probably lonely."

 

"Absolutely not Steven go see what it needs! You brought it home."

  
The dog never does go to the pound.


	2. Mummy's Day Out

Peggy's in the kitchen at the stove when Steve slides up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck. His stubble scratches her neck slightly causing her to smile. She sets her wooden spatula down and turns in his arms. She cups his face with her hands giving him a gentle kiss. “Grab my coffee for me won't you darling?” she asks gently pressing him backwards with a lingering touch to his chest.

 

Peggy turns and grabs the plates portioning out breakfast for four. She takes 4 bananas from the fruit bowl to the table. She gives one to Steve and one next to John's plate. She opens one and sets it next to Michael's plate. She opens another putting half on her plate putting the other half one Steve's plate for good measure.

 

Steve serves Peggy her coffee just the way she likes it. He sets his own motor oil next to his plate. He pours orange juice for himself and the boys holding the bottle up to Peggy in silent question. She shakes her head no, her coffee is enough for now. Steve stuffs an entire banana in his mouth and grabs the morning paper off the counter to read.

 

Steve's just sitting down to his own plate when Michael staggers into the kitchen, shuffling along half asleep with his bedraggled stuffed iron man dragging along the floor behind him with Spot attached to it's leg trying and failing to tug-o-war. “Hey buddy, good morning.” Steve says.

 

Michael ignores him and continues dragging his iron man and the dog straight towards Peggy. Peggy scoots back her chair just a bit to make room. When Michael reaches her he climbs straight into her lap, his face grumpy and his eyes half closed. The puppy loses the battle to hang on to iron man and yaps and growls next to Peggy's chair. Michael straddles Peggy and presses his head to her chest, still no words of greeting. Michael's obviously annoyed that this morning instead of climbing into bed next to Peggy he has to climb into her lap at the table.

 

Peggy waits until Michael is content before hugging him close for a moment and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. She keeps him cuddled close with one arm and reaches for her coffee with the other. No more than a minute later, John comes in sleep mussed as well already attached to the ipad. The puppy runs to greet him twisting around his legs and wagging his entire body with his tail so hard he flops over. John makes it to the table without tripping, sets the ipad down, and digs into his breakfast, slurping down all of his orange juice first. Steve surreptitiously slides the ipad from John while he's distracted with food to the other side of the table and sets his newspaper on top of it.

 

At John's entrance Michael becomes interested in food as well. He turns in Peggy's lap and starts eating her food. Peggy sighs and glances at the clock on the wall to check the time. It's 5:30. She glances out the window confirming that the sun hasn't made an appearance yet. She reaches over to Michael's plate swiping the toast from it seeing as her child is now eating her own breakfast. She hands him the partially peeled banana. Peggy shifts again accidentally kicking the dog who's hovering underneath the table hoping for scraps from the children.

 

Peggy takes another sip of coffee and another nibble of toast and pauses. She waits a moment more before another bite and another sip. Peggy sets her half eaten toast on her former plate and shifts Michael into the chair. She pours out her half drunk coffee into the sink. She glances over seeing Steve frown at her from the table. She walks next to him and kisses his cheek, stroking the side of his face gently. “I'm going to grab a coffee and something on the way there darling. Don't fret. I need to get ready” Peggy says before walking to the bedroom to do just that.

 

No more than 10 minutes later, Peggy returns to the kitchen. Husband and children have left the table but the dog remains licking the floor searching for morsels. Someone ate the ham and toast from Peggy's plate but her eggs remain. Peggy takes those and dumps them in the puppy's bowl making sure that he also has water. The puppy inhales the food and gazes up at Peggy adoringly. She ignores him and continues to clear the table. She grabs John's lunches, one for actual lunch the other for recess, and tucks them into his backpack on the counter. Steve reappears as she zips the school bag closed. “Darling, please don't forget to do the breakfast dishes. And the dog. Don't forget to take him out to the restroom.” Peggy says.

 

“Of course. I won't forget. Don't worry Peg. Are you sure we shouldn't come with you? We could lock the dog in the bathroom?” asks Steve, his eyes pleading.

 

“Don't be ridiculous. John needs to go to school. It's just an appointment. I'll be home before you know it.” Peggy exclaims.

 

“Call me when it's over. So we know you're on the way.” Steve says.

 

“Why so you can clean the house?” Peggy rolls her eyes. “It's just a check up Steven. It'll be fine.”

 

Peggy gathers her coat and the keys and heads for the door. The boys are summoned by the noise to see who’s going where. Peggy tells them good bye and admonishes them to be good for daddy. They promise, their little faces earnest and serious. She kisses them both on the forehead. A quick kiss for Steve and then she's out the door and headed for the car. The appointment can't be avoided forever.

 

Steve and the boys watch Peggy get in the car and drive off. After she's away down the street and they can no longer see the truck, Steve tells the boys to go get dressed. Steve goes into the kitchen and cleans up. He glances at the clock. It's 6:20 now plenty of time is left before he needs to walk John to school.

 

Steve goes and gets himself dressed and returns to the kitchen pouring himself another cup of coffee before dumping the rest down the drain. He turns to the table and his paper and sees that John has discovered the ipad and is already sitting in his chair tapping away at his game. Steve settles in the seat next to him to peruse the paper. He knows he could look at the news on his phone but he still enjoys holding the paper in his hands.

 

“Awe man!” John exclaims.

 

“What is it buddy?” Steve asks.

 

“I'm really stuck at this level Dad! I can't figure it out.” John says as he looks forlornly down at his game. “At the next level, I get to unlock the rocket launcher.” He explains.

 

“That sounds... interesting... here let me take a look at it buddy.” Steve says.

 

John comes around the table with the ipad and climbs into Steve's lap. He points down at the device showing Steve the level he's having trouble with. Half an hour later Steve and John are still sitting at the table. Steve's coffee is long since cold but they have their rocket launcher and they're causing plenty of mayhem. Both smiling and tapping away. At the end of the level, Steve realizes what time it is and tells John that play times over. He sets him back on the floor and tells him to go get his shoes and jacket on and to help Michael with his.

 

Steve is double checking that John's lunch is in his backpack when John comes back in the kitchen. He's got his shoes and coat on. Steve hands him his milk money to put in his pocket before asking him “Where's Michael?”

 

“I don't know Dad. I don't see him.” John responds.

 

“You don't see him?” Steve feels a little nervous. “Mikey?! Buddy?! Where are you? Spot?!” He calls with no answer.

 

Steve starts searching the house. Where could Michael be. He's 2 and a half it's doubtful he's gone far. Steve can't remember for sure whether or not Michael can unlock the deadbolt on the front door. He knows Michael didn't go out the kitchen door.

 

Steve checks the living room last and finds Michael curled up in the dog bed with iron man, sound asleep. The dog is clonked out next to him dead to the world. He's still in his pajamas. It's now 6:55. Steve wakes Michael up and stuffs him into his clothes. Michael fusses the entire time. “Daddy no! Daddy it's playtime! No school!” he whines.

 

Steve just continues hustling him into his socks and shoes and jacket. The puppy's woken up with all the racket and John's playing tug-o-war with him in the living room. He roughly pulls the rope from a growling Spot and then throws it across the room for Spot to bring back.

 

Steve finally gets everyone out the door at 7:05. He's got John's backpack slung across his own shoulder and is holding his hand. Michael refuses to hold his hand and is walking behind them still fussing that it's playtime. Steve gets John to school 5 minutes later then usual. Twice on the walk there Michael sat down fussing that he’s tired but refusing emphatically when Steve offers to carry him. Michael doesn’t get a choice on the way home. He whines the entire time Steve carries him.

 

Steve gets home to his unlocked house and as soon as he steps in there's a splash. Someone had an accident right at the front door. Damn. Steve forgot to take the dog out. Well the day can only look up from here.

  
  
  
  
  


Peggy pulls into the drive after a very long day. It's 7pm. It's more than a bit later then she thought she'd be but she's here at last. She made one stop on the way there to get coffee and a muffin and then another stop on the way back for some truly terrible tea and pound cake. She sat there in that little coffee shop for half an hour contemplating her life while waiting for her prescription from the pharmacy across the street. Afterwards, she even stopped in at the beauty salon for a manicure, pedicure, and a trim. It’s just truly that type of day. 

 

She’s truly hungry. Hopefully Steve and the boys had left her something to eat. She called Steve twice earlier, once to say she’s waiting on her prescription and another to say she’s stopping in at the salon. She’s heard nothing since. That could be good or bad.

 

She turns off the car and gathers herself. Why are Steve's shoes on the front porch? She really hopes that Steve made something for dinner. And also that there is something left from whatever it is he concocted. She and Steve are indifferent cooks but with a family you learn to provide the basics.

 

Peggy finds the door unlocked and pushes it open. She enters the house and looks into the living room. Steve's there sitting in some old jeans and an old shirt. He's barefoot with a beer in hand and appears to be splattered with something. From the living room all the way across to the kitchen looks like every single toy John and Michael have strewn across the floor.

 

Steve finally turns his eyes from the game “Hey Peg. The games on. Come see. We're down 2 touchdowns already. It's pathetic.”

 

“In a moment. Where's the children?” she asks.

 

“Oh, they're around somewhere.” he responds his eyes already glued to the tv once again.

 

Peggy takes her coat off and hangs it up along with the keys. She braces herself before going into the kitchen. She walks carefully around the toys noting that all of their little toy cars are surrounding the table on the floor.

 

Positives first, the table is clean. Peggy glances in the sink. The dishes are clean minus one soaking pot with red sauce stuck to the side. There's no food. What did they eat?

 

Peggy investigates the trash. A 24 jumbo pack of beef franks, an empty bag of lays, a can of baked beans, and several cans of coke. She glances on the counter and into the fridge. No hot dogs to be found. No beans to be found. She glances up in frustration. Are those red spots on the ceiling?

 

She walks carefully back into the living room. “Steve.” No answer so she tries again louder Steve!?”

 

“What? Yeah Peg?” He glances over from the game.

 

“Did you save me anything to eat?” she asks.

 

“Huh? Uh... I guess we ate them all. Want some chips?” He offers her the bag on the couch next to him.

 

“24 hot dogs Steve?” she asks again.

 

“Yeah babe. They were hungry.” Steve replies, his attention already on the game again.

 

Peggy turns to go back to the kitchen and find something for herself to eat when she catches sight of a small foot sticking out from behind the couch. She approaches the couch and stands over her son with her hands on her hips. “Excuse me?” she says.

 

“No mommy! No look.” yells Michael. He tries to put the top back on the box of neopolitan ice cream and slide it and the empty package of oreos under the couch. His hands are covered in ice cream and his face is sticky as well. The dog is licking the top of the ice cream lid, trying to bite at it to keep Michael from taking it away from him. “No mommy!” yells Michael again.

 

Peggy reaches down and snatches both the tub of ice cream and the lid from Michael's sticky grip. He promptly lays on his back crying and kicking his feet. “No mommy! No! My ice cream!” he cries.

 

Peggy is unmerciful. She takes the ice cream and tosses it straight in the trash. You can see the tunnels in the softening mess from Michael's fingers as he scooped ice cream directly into his mouth. Who knows if he washed his hands today? Possibly the dog had eaten directly from it as well. The puppy has followed her into the kitchen and discovered a mustard slathered hot dog to eat under the table.

 

Peggy glances down at Michael again as she's walking to her room. He's laying on the floor now just sobbing I want ice cream over and over. Steve is still obliviously watching the game. She makes her way into her bedroom to change her clothes just tired of the day and ready to end it. She puts on one of Steve's undershirts, leggings, and warm fuzzy socks. She puts her robe on looking ridiculous but feeling a million times more comfortable.

 

She goes to open the closet to put her shoes away and that's when she sees her other son. There he is. John's sitting in the bottom of her closet watching something on the ipad surrounded by 6 cans of coke and his very own jumbo bag of chips. Peggy snatches the ipad and the chips causing her eldest child to burst into his own tears. “No mommy! My shows not done!” cries John.

 

“I think you've had enough. Go watch the game with your dad if you need more tv.” says Peggy already walking out of the room back towards the kitchen.

 

“You hate me!” sobs John as he runs by and throws himself on the couch next to his dad. Steve's still sitting there watching tv surrounded by sobbing children. The dog continues hunting around for more human scraps.

 

Peggy goes in the kitchen and makes herself a damn sandwich. Banging around as many objects as possible in case her family remained unaware of her anger. She looks into the living room from the table after wiping mustard from her chair, positively glaring at Steve. If her eyes were lasers he'd be on fire for sure.

 

Suddenly Michael sits up making a face. Peggy notices for the first time that he has finger streaks of probably mustard and baked beans on his... pajama shirt from this morning? Michael gets up and beelines for Steve. “Daddy. My tummy. My tummy.” he groans and promptly throws up on the carpet. John hangs his head of the couch and throws up as well. Both children looking a bit green and miserable. The dog decides to join the party as well throwing up oreos and hot dog next to Peggy's foot.

 

That's the last straw. Peggy runs for it. She makes it to the toilet before throwing up her half a sandwich. She splashes some cold water on her face and rinses her mouth out with mouthwash before she ventures back into the living room. Steve's finally turned off the game and is attempting to wipe up vomit with some paper towels and carpet cleaner.

 

Peggy runs for the restroom again. Afterwards she repeats her mouth wash. Again she ventures into the living room. This time Steve has cleaned up as much as he could and sprayed the carpets. He placed more paper towels over the 3 wet spots. Both boys are miserable on the couch. There's no way this night will end well.

 

Peggy takes the puppy into her bedroom and puts him in his little crate with a towel so he won't eat any left over throw up or carpet cleaner. Steve starts the bath and lifts both boys one at a time there and gets their clothes off to clean them up. Fortunately John's big enough to lean over the tub to the toilet this time as his stomach rebels again. Michael isn't so fortunate. He hits Steve square in the chest.

 

Both boys refuse to go into their own beds and insist on sleeping dead in the middle of Peggy and Steve's bed. Peggy pulls the covers back and gets them situated. She brings her 2 biggest mixing bowls from the kitchen and sets them next to her children. She unearths a bottle of ginger ale for herself and takes a few sips before setting it down on her night stand. She climbs into bed next to Michael, who drapes himself onto her.

 

Steve comes in from taking his own shower and starting a load of wash and climbs in next to John who lays on top of him since real estate is truly at a premium in their small bed. Both boys whimper that their tummies hurt and slowly drift into sleep.

 

Peggy turns her head to Steve. He's staring at the ceiling with his best poker face. “24 hotdogs Steven? 3 bags of chips? Coke? Ice cream? Oreos? Baked beans on the ceiling? Do you have anything to say?” she asks.

 

Steve just continues staring at the ceiling with his poker face. John shifts and both parents are nervously quiet for a few minutes waiting to see what will happen. Fortunately he was just getting more comfortably settled against Steve.

 

“Well I guess we found the limits of their stomachs, then?” Peggy whispers again.

 

Steve still remains quiet.

 

“Nothing?” Peggy asks Steve.

 

Nope not a peep from Steve.

 

“I'm pregnant.” Peggy declares.

 

“What?” Steve finally turns his head to look at her. “What?” he asks again.

  
“You heard me. Good night, Steven.” Peggy has the final word.


	3. The Story of Cat

Peggy wakes to sunlight on her face and the sound of the lawn mower. It’s saturday and she’s taking advantage of her opportunity to snooze in but now that she hears the sound of the mower the odds of drifting back to sleep are dramatically lower. She woke once before dawn when Michael climbed into bed for his usual morning snuggle back to sleep. She has a vague recollection of Michael being lured out of bed with the smell of cooking breakfast and the promise to go outside.

 

Peggy stretches for a gloriously long moment before donning her slippers and a robe and heading to the kitchen. Steve left the coffee on and a plate of pancakes and bacon out. Peggy reheats her food and makes up her coffee. She takes everything out onto their small concrete patio and sits in the dilapidated plastic lawn chair to enjoy her breakfast.

 

Despite sleeping in, it’s still quite early. The birds are still out chirping and searching for their own breakfast. The sun is low on the horizon and the morning is still cool enough relative to how warm it will be later in the afternoon.

 

Steve is taking advantage of the cooler morning to mow the backyard. John is following closely on his father’s heels with his toy mower. Steve goes back and forth across the yard with his very own duckling in his wake. Peggy enjoys the sight immensely, one that she never though to see or become a routine part of her life.

 

The sound of truck noises and barks heard even over the drone of the lawn mower directs Peggy’s attention to the unused flower bed tucked against the back of the house. There Peggy sees her youngest son, Michael, busy driving his trucks through the dirt. The dog is next to him enthusiastically digging a pit while Michael hauls away the dirt in his dump truck to another pile. 

 

Not bothering to plant spring flowers has turned the patch of dirt into an impromptu sandbox for her youngest child. Nevermind that cultivating shrubbery might be a little too permanent a choice for their current life. The scene is quite idyllic to Peggy. A welcome change to the unpredictable shifting and isolation of the last few years. 

 

Peggy’s just finishing her pancakes when she hears softly padding feet approaching. Peggy’s morning visitor weaves around her legs issuing a questioning “mmrrow” in greeting. Peggy is quick to wedge her coffee cup into the busted cup holder and give morning scratches to the impatient feline headbutting her leg. Peggy breaks up her last piece of bacon and sets her plate down for her morning companion. She continues to dispense pets and scratchies. Her reward is a very loud and contented purring.

 

“Your cat’s getting fat. Maybe you should get her cat food,” Steve says as he wipes sweat from his brow. He’s finished with the backyard and come to heckle Peggy about her visitor before stooping to give her a kiss good morning.

“I don’t have a cat. She visits every house on the street not just ours,” Peggy replies narrowing her eyes. Despite her annoyance, Peggy draws Steve back down to her with a soft hand to his face. One morning kiss is not quite enough. When he pulls back her gaze is heated. His tight sweaty shirt does little to curb Peggy’s other appetites.

 

Steve and Peggy gaze at each other for a few moments before the tableau is abruptly broken by the sound of their children shrieking and playing. And the dog of course. Since Steve has paused mowing John’s joined Michael playing trucks in the dirt. Both children are filthy and beaming.

 

Peggy makes a mental rain check on the promise in Steve’s eyes. Cat’s done with her snack and now sunbathing, so Peggy gathers her dishes to bring inside. Steve opens the gate and pushes the mower through it to get the front yard before it gets even warmer. The sun is climbing steadily.

 

Michael notices first that Steve has opened the gate so he rushes as quickly as his chubby little legs can take him to be first to the toy mower. He’s triumphant this time in one upping his older brother. Michael stubbornly grasps the lower handle and pushes the mower towards the gate. John pouts for a moment but then grasps the upper handle and begins helping Michael steer.

 

Steve shuts the gate and sets the puppy back down on the other side of the wire fence. The puppy howls in protest but is ignored. Steve starts to mow the side yard plus one duckling more to follow him. The scene is to precious to resist. Peggy whips out her phone and snaps a few pictures.

 

Peggy moves into the kitchen to clean up the breakfast dishes. Steve and the boys are now out in the front yard. The puppy runs from one side of the yard to the other following their progress to bark at them through the fence. The cat has moved to sun bathing in the plastic lawn chair. Her tail twitches as she watches the puppy run around the yard.

 

Peggy looks out at the cat again. She definitely looks a bit rounder then she did last week. Peggy presses a hand to her own abdomen. It’s also grown a bit in the past few weeks. Peggy glances at the cat again considering. Maybe she will pick up that cat food. Just in case.

 

* * *

 

**One Month Later**

 

Steve pulls open the shed door to get the mower out. The boys follow close behind, squabbling over who gets to push the toy mower first. Steve grabs the gas can to top off the mower and that’s when he hears something unexpected.

 

“Quiet boys, can you hear it? Listen,” Steve says as he cocks his head to the side.

 

Both boys stop squabbling and cock their heads to the side too in miniature imitation of their father. Now that they’re all silent, they can hear the tiny sounds coming from the back of the shed. As quietly as possible, Steve and the boys weave around the tools and boxes searching for the source of the sound. All the way in the back of the shed tucked between two boxes of junk they find Cat. She’s wrapped around a small pile of mewling kittens, at least 5 of them.

 

“Daddy! Look at the baby kittens!” John whispers, loudly.

 

“Daddy! Babies!” Michael attempts to whisper but says more or less at normal volume.

 

“Sshhh! Quiet or you’ll scare Mama Cat and her babies,” says Steve.

 

“Can we pet them?!” asks John.

 

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think they’re too tiny. Maybe when they get a little bit older. Come on let’s go tell your Mom. Remember how sad she’s been since Cat didn’t come to the door three days ago?” Steve says as he ushers the boys back out of the shed.

 

John and Michael race back to the house and into the master bedroom to wake Peggy up. Both boys climb on the bed, exclaiming in excited voices that they’ve found Cat! They tug on her as she rolls over and opens her eyes.

 

“Mommy! We found Cat! Come see!” pipes John who bounces on his knees in excitement.

 

“Mommy! Babies!” pipes Michael as he attempts to pull Peggy into a sitting position.

 

“What?!” Peggy exclaims as she sits up, looking questioningly towards Steve.

 

“We found Cat. She has a surprise for you,” Steve answers as he hands Peggy her slippers and her robe.

 

Peggy follows the boys as they run out of the house. The puppy tries to run outside after them but Steve nudges him back into the house and shuts the door. When they reach the shed both boys stop running and tell Peggy that she has to be quiet.

 

Peggy reaches the back corner of the shed and stops abruptly behind John and Michael. The boys lean closer to get a better look but don’t touch. Steve slides up behind Peggy and puts his arms around and looks over her shoulder. “See Peg, we found your cat,” Steve says.

 

“I don’t  have a cat!” exclaims Peggy, twisting slightly to narrow her eyes at Steve’s profile.

 

“You’re right! You have six cats now,” Steve tells her, swiftly dodging the half hearted pinch she attempts.

Peggy resettles against Steve’s chest as his arms wrap back around her. One of his hands, covers the gentle swell of  her abdomen and she covers his hand with her own.

 

“They are precious, aren’t they?” Peggy says.

 

“They sure are, Peg,” Steve answers. “They sure are.”


End file.
